I in British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced plans to ban children under the age of 16 from accessing major social media platforms in what is being described as one of the biggest online child safety reforms in the country’s history.
The proposed restrictions are expected to come into force by spring 2027 and will apply to platforms including TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and X, while messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal will remain exempt for now.
Starmer said the decision is aimed at giving children their childhood back and reducing exposure to harmful online experiences, addictive features and content that may affect wellbeing. He described the move as a “line in the sand” for technology companies and said government intervention had become necessary.
Under the proposed system, enforcement will focus mainly on platforms rather than children themselves. UK regulator Ofcom is expected to oversee age verification and compliance measures to ensure companies prevent under-16 access.
The wider package is also expected to include restrictions on livestreaming features, limits on strangers contacting minors through gaming platforms and tighter controls around certain AI tools aimed at young users.
The announcement has sparked debate across the UK. Some parents and child safety campaigners welcomed the move, saying stronger protections are overdue. Others argued governments should focus more on making platforms safer instead of introducing blanket bans.
